Overview
- Shore, a Democrat and former Nebraska first lady, entered the special election on Feb. 19 with Ricketts calling her “an outstanding voice for the university.”
- Ricketts said he “usually vote[s] straight Republican” and that Shore will be his “one Democrat exception in 2026,” according to the Nebraska Examiner.
- The nonpartisan race features a crowded field, with the top two finishers in the May 12 primary advancing to the Nov. 3 general to complete the final four years of the term.
- Shore is running an independent campaign, hiring her own Democratic consultant and emphasizing affordability, student support, and pathways that reduce debt such as work-study and internships.
- The endorsement draws attention given Ricketts’ past clashes with University of Nebraska leaders over diversity and equity initiatives when he was governor.